Green Corner : Top Ten Things To Do For Earth Hour
At 8.30pm on Saturday March 26th, 2011 millions of people around the world will turn out the lights for Earth Hour. This awareness movement is intended to get people talking about the importance of reducing human impact on the Earth.
Below you will find lists of activities that you can do to save energy, reduce your impact on the environment, and help spread awareness about Earth issues such as climate change.
You don't have to wait for Earth Hour to try out some of these energy saving techniques. They are a great way to practice conservation monthly, weekly or even every day! Even planning ways to conserve is a great way to reassess our dependencies, and our impact on the Earth.
Top Ten Things to Do to Save Energy
Here are some things that you can do to prepare for Earth Hour.
Remember that saving energy is about more than just turning down the lights. Challenge yourself to do some or all of these energy saving things for Earth Hour - and every day - to save energy and help the planet.
#10 Fill Up Your Freezer
Did you know that an empty freezer uses up more energy than a full one?
If you have empty space in your freezer or deep-freeze, you can conserve energy - and reduce your electric bill - by freezing used pop bottles or milk jugs of water. Fill empty containers about 2/3rds full and place them in your freezer. The ice will help maintain the temperature inside the freezer, allowing it to use less energy.
#9 Invite Your Friends Over
You can help spread Earth Hour awareness by inviting your friends, family or neighbors to join you for Earth Hour activities. A few friendly faces can help make the time go faster, too!
#8 Fix Drafts
Drafty doors and windows cause your heating and cooling bills to go up. Try to repair or cover any drafts around your home before Earth Hour. The money you save will help throughout the year as well!
You can also keep heating and cooling costs down with thermal window coverings. But if you're pinching pennies, simple dark curtains can keep a room warm in winter, and white curtains keep it cool in summer.
#7 Turn Down the Heat
If you're living in a cool climate and have the heat on in March, try turning your heat down slightly for Earth Hour.
To minimize the amount of energy that you use for heating, make sure that heating units are well ventilated and not obscured by furniture. There should be at least a few inches of space between heaters and other objects for them to work efficiently.
Close off any rooms that are not used regularly, and only heat rooms that you need to. If you keep your thermostats at a moderate temperature throughout the day, you will use less energy than you do by turning it up and down at different times.
#6 Unplug Appliances
At 8:25 on March 28th, it's time to start powering down for Earth Hour.
You can start by unplugging your small appliances such as the microwave and coffee maker. Hopefully, your toaster is already unplugged when not in use!
#5 Unplug Chargers
For one hour, unplug your cell phone charger, battery re-charger and any other adaptors you have around your home. If you leave these items unplugged when not in use, you can save a few dollars in energy costs every month.
If you have a cordless phone you will need to leave it plugged in, unless you have a standard telephone in the house as well.
#4 Unplug Clocks and Electronics
It won't take long to reset your digital alarm clock after Earth Hour is finished. Unplug as many of the clocks around your home as possible. If you have a digital watch or wall clock, you can unplug them all!
Turn off and unplug your television and other devices like DVD players and video game consoles. If you have all of your electronics plugged into a power bar or surge bar, you can switch them all off at the end of the day, everyday. This can help you save money every month.
#3 Shut Off Your Computer
Even an idle computer uses energy. You can cut down on computer energy costs by powering down all of the devices at your desk for one hour. You can simply switch off the power bar or surge bar.
If there are items plugged in with your computer that must stay on, such as a cordless phone, you can unplug items individually, or turn off the power manually. Most computers have a power switch at the back of the tower that shuts them down completely.
#2 Unplug Lamps and Nightlights
Just like other electrical items, lamps should be unplugged when not in use. Unplug all of the floor and desk lamps in your home for Earth Hour. Only plug them back in as you need to use them.
#1 Turn Off the Lights
Last but not least, turn down all of the lights in your home. It's a little strange sitting around in the dark, but it's only for one hour. Just think of what it must have been like before the invention of the light bulb!
PS : Will you turning out the lights?
